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Common Leopard Gecko
Eublepharis Macularius (Common Leopard Gecko) is a type of gecko that looks exceedingly like a leopard during its adulthood. These geckos, like all other geckos, are nocturnal creatures. They make their homes in hollow or rotten trees, under rocks and stones. These geckos have fat tails where they store fat. They live in middle Asia and in the southern United States. Taxonomy This gecko species was discovered by Edward Blythe in 1854. Its Genus name, Eublepharis, is a Greek compound word. Eu, meaning true, and blephar, meaning eyelid. Its Species name, Macularius, was the Greek word for spot or blemish. Habitat This species of gecko lives in the middle of Asia and the southern United States. These geckos live in hollow or rotten trees, underground in burrows, or under stones and rocks. Their camoflauge skin helps them blend in with the type of terrain that they live in, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Texas. The terrain in these places is often dry and will provide a good hiding spot for these geckos, since their skin matches the terrain. Leopard Geckos as Pets These geckos make excellent pets. They will eat on a regular basis: crickets, meal worms, and wax worms. The wax worms can be used as treats, as they are fattening. The crickets are a good source of proteins to these geckos. The meal worm give the geckos vitamins and proteins. These geckos thrive best if kept in a 10-30 gallon tank. You want to buy these geckos when they are 2 months-1 year. If they are too young, they will not have developed enough fat in their tails and will starve. If it is too old, the gecko will be too used to its old habitat and will not eat or drink. They need a small bowl of cacium to survive on. They will also need their tanks to be 75-85 degrees during the day and about 55-75 degrees at night. If you take proper care and get good treatment for your gecko, it is not unlikely for them too live 20 years or more. Two males should not be kept together, for they will fight, and yes, try to kill each other. If your pet store does not know the gender of the gecko, it may be hard to tell. the only true difference tis that the males tend to be more heavy-bodied then females. WARNING: IF YOU MUST ORDER A GECKO, YOU MUST BE CUTIOUS ABOUT WHERE IT CAME FROM. IT MAY HAVE BEEN WILD-CAUGHT OR CAGED WITH WILD CAUGHT GECKOS, IT COULD CARRY DISEASES AND EVEN GET YOU OR ANOTHER PET SICK. Development and Reproduction Leopard Geckos usually mate when they are 1 or 2 years old. They breed shortly after. The females will be carrying the eggs inside her body for at least 3 weeks. She will then lay the eggs. The hatchlings will be inside their eggs for 6-12 weeks. They will not be completely mature until they are 1 year old or more. The juveniles' spots are much bigger than the adult spots. Therefore, there are fewer or them. Juvenile Leopard Geckos are often mistaken for Texas Geckos. When the juveniles shed their skin, their spots will gradually get smaller until they mature. Then their spots will be much smaller the they were at juvenile stage. Leopard Geckos live for 20 years or more in captivity (if treated well), and up to twenty in the wild. Category:Reptiles Category:Lizards Category:Geckos Category:Small Reptiles Category:Nocturnal